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The Spirit of Fellowship
The Chief Accountant and his Staff
A Worth-while Railway Social Gathering

The get-together spirit so necessary to good teamwork is nowhere more strongly in evidence than in the Chief Accountant's Branch. One might expect these figure-grinding fellows, securely anchored at the financial centre of the Railway System, to become as mechanical in habit and outlook as the figures they daily delve amongst. But, just as Dickens found some of his happiest characters amongst undertakers, so one may discover the most imaginative and progressive individuals bred in the atmosphere of soulless arithmetical calculations, and surviving amidst the clatter of precise mechanical calculators.

Although he and his men must have been almost smothered under the superineumbent mass of detail involved in the recent change in the Railway financial system, from Departmental to business accountancy, Mr. H. Valentine, the new Chief of the Branch, did not lose sight of the social side. In pursuance of a definite policy in this respect he recently arranged a reunion of past and present accounting men at a smoke concert—ability to properly appreciate the binomial theorem being probably the test of admission; and there was a very full attendance.

Included in the evening's arrangements were farewells to Mr. Burns (Chief Audit Inspector), and to Mr. Burke (who, for 35 years has held his position in the ticket rating department). Both of these gentlemen pass into retirement with the heartiest good wishes of all who knew them, and a record of sterling service behind them. As Mr. Jones (Board Chairman) remarked in regard to Mr. Burke's retirement, “it is always a wrench to see good men go out.”

The speaking during the reunion revealed a surprisingly high standard, particularly considering that the speakers belong to a branch which, in the transaction of its business, has no direct contact with the public. Confidence such as that displayed could be possible only in a body of men amongst whom exist complete understanding and mutual appreciation. Here, surely, is an, as yet, untapped resource from which speakers could be drawn, as required, to place the Department's position before the public, a work which several men are quite capable of undertaking with honour to themselves and credit to the Department.

In referring to the retirement of Mr. Burns (Chief Audit Inspector) Mr. Valentine said, “He has given 40 years of the highest form of service. He is a man of integrity of the best type, broad-minded, with sound judgment and A1 character. Part of his service had been spent with the Postal Department. To the office staff he was a tower of strength and, although on the point of retiring, even that morning he had been plotting out plans to make the wheels run more smoothly, to avoid trouble, and to befriend the staff. They all parted with him with very much regret and wished him long years of happy life to enjoy his retirement on the Superannuation Fund.”

Mr. Doolan said that, as an inspector, it gave him great pleasure to hear the speech of his Chief. Mr. Burns deserved fully all that had been said. After 40 years of strenuous life in the railway service to retire with such a youthful appearance indicated that he must have had a contented life at home, for which a great deal of credit must be given to his wife. Mr. Burns had been looked on as a most capable officer throughout the whole period.

Mr. Larkin (Audit Inspector) said that the bank account in praise of Mr. Burns could never be overdrawn.

Mr. Porteous referred to the splendid work accomplished by Mr. Burns who, unlike some officers, was eager to impart his knowledge to others.

In responding to his toast, Mr. Burns said that he was meeting to-night some new faces, but he must admit that he did not know the member they spoke of. This was a “Red Letter Day” in his life. He looked forward with dread to his retirement, but he supposed that hesitation would pass, and once free of the Railway, he would settle down contentedly enough to the new life. It would be his desire to try to be like the picture his fellow officers had drawn of him, and he would always preserve a kindly feeling towards all members of the Service. They had set for him a high standard which he must try to live up to. He was particularly pleased with the nice reference to his wife. His home life had been of the happiest, and she would treasure these references. He had known many phases of management and he was sure that never in page 29 the past had there been the opportunities that there were at present. From the lowest to the highest positions throughout the Service young men were being called into the management. Suggestions asked for and received were being treated with the greatest consideration and, even if not accepted, the suggester was invariably thanked. He felt sure that this form of management would give the best possible results. In the Accountancy Branch he had found that Messrs. Valentine and Porteous always welcomed suggestions, and he was greatly struck with their fine ability and the way in which useful suggestions were understood and incorporated for the benefit of the Service. Accounting to-day, both in form and method was more intelligently understood by the whole of the Service than in previous time.

Mr. Valentine, in referring to the general purpose of the gathering, remarked that the Accounts Branch endeavoured to adopt a fair attitude towards the staff. In saying this he recognised that this attitude had been built up on the firm foundation laid by now superannuated members many of whom were present with them. An endeavour in his own regime would be to live up to that noble tradition.

Mr. Ahearn remarked that it seemed to him some of the superannuated men must have been super-men and, that being so, he hoped next year to be among them. He considered the reunion a glorious idea of Mr. Valentine's for producing camaraderie and the esprit de corps so necessary for effective service.

Several superannuated members gave interesting reminiscences of the old days. One speaker recalled how an officer of the old school in replying to a query of the Chief Accountant's regarding the number of mistakes made in the returns forwarded to that station, wrote, among other things, “No gentleman would think of pointing out another gentleman's errors.”